Habanero Soup Burns Mouth – And Insides?

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Q:  Dear Dave,I just came back from the CVS store about an hour ago with some Neosporin.  Long story short, as I love habanero peppers in salsa, I thought I’d buy some at the city market today to make my own salsa.  Then as I started to microwave my soup, I thought I’d dice up part of one and throw …

No Formula for Calculating Heat

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Q:  Dear Dave,Is there a formula that will tell a person what the degree of heat would be on peppers that one has grown?–Francis  A:  Hello Francis:The heat level depends on the variety grown and the environmental conditions under which it is grown, so no, there is no formula.–Dave

Hot Pepper Extract

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Q:  Dear Dave,How does one obtain an extract from a hot pepper?–Mitch  A:  Hello Mitch:You cannot do this at home as it takes complicated equipment.  It is a chemical process.  Hot pods are dried, then pelletized.  The pellets are treated with a petrochemical like hexane, which dissolves the color and heat from the pellets.  The result is an oily liquid …

Habanero Oilve Oil = Bacteria Heaven

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Q:  Hello Dave,I have put some habaneros in bottles of olive oil for myself and a couple of friends, to add a nice hot flavor to the oil for cooking.  I bought a bottle from Ass Kicking Olive Oil brand a while ago and it tasted good.  Do I have a problem with bacteria, and must I ask for the …

Heat Level Affected by Boiling?

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Q:  Hi Dave! I know that the habanero and Scotch bonnet are in the same family (and that the peppers can vary greatly in heat), but generally, are these two considered to be of the same heat level?  Is there a difference between the heat level in the various colors (red habanero, orange habanero, etc.)?  Also, when peppers are placed …